Apply. Revise. Results. And if all goes well, this big new adventure awaits you. The stages get laid out in front of you like a grocery list for life, each with its own impending deadline. For many, this may seem like the only way ahead, the thought of beginning but later dropping out of university simply out of the question. And so you go with it, selecting your favourite subject – or the one you hate the least.

Growing up gay, I wish I’d known some of these things…

But I’ve got to be honest.

I’d be lying if I said it always felt this way for me.

I’d never have guessed that the hardest person to come out to wouldn’t be any member of my family or school. It was, in fact, the one person who remained a sceptic at the end of it all: myself. Man, that guy gets on my nerves.

And I have a feeling that many of you reading will get exactly what I’m talking about.

“Have you decided what you're doing after school yet?”, “Thought about applying for an apprenticeship?”, “Have you considered choosing a career in engineering?”, “Why are you asleep on the floor of the common room?”, “Places are being taken fast, you need to decide soon or you’ll be left behind”.

The same questions. Over, and over. Forget clearing your head because apparently the most important decision in the world is heading for you like a train and you’re running out of time.

Except, you’re not running out of time, and choosing a career is not as important as you think.

Following your passion should be without question. It is, after all, what you love doing the most. But it's never that simple. Whatever your creative passion is, it can often get buried under the stressful load of school life. In this sense, nothing seems to work in your favour. You might be an aspiring musician with no money to fund it, a future poet with no publisher, an artist with no canvas, writer with no laptop, sculpture with no chisel. You have intentions, but no means to follow them.

However, as a student, you do have one crucial thing: time.

We are living in a world where making connections seems easier than ever. Most people are rarely found without a smartphone on them, and there are so many platforms on social media for instant messaging that we can connect with people from all over the world, and fast!

'How do I get into independent work?’ It doesn’t sound like it involves getting a degree and steeping yourself in a lifetime of debt, then slaving yourself to death answering to a boss five days a week...that's what they say is the only route to success, right? Well, you might learn some valuable skills and have some incredible experiences in university but now, more than ever, this is being less appreciated by employers...

Want to find a new job but not sure how to get started? Looking for work can be daunting and you might have to deal with rejection before you find the right role...

The Mentoring Scheme was founded by Disha Hegde to provide students with honest and authentic peer guidance and advice on getting through school, and dealing with life during lockdown.

Fledglink hosts bi-weekly drop-in sessions for The Mentoring Scheme as part of our Learn Now online learning hub for anyone to join and ask questions.

This week (30.07.20) was the second session of a series covering A-level subjects. Each episode will focus on a subject genre, with mentors who discuss what it is really like to study those subjects, tips for doing well and advice on deciding whether they are the right choice for you.

This episode covered: A-levels in SOCIAL SCIENCES

Listen to students talk about their own first-hand experience studying social science subjects at A level. They discuss the best and worst parts of studying the subjects, what the exams are like and share top tips on how to revise and succeed.

You can register to join a live drop-in session with the Mentoring Scheme through Fledglink's Learn Now digital platform: fledglink.com/learn-now/

The Mentoring Scheme was founded by Disha Hegde to provide students with honest and authentic peer guidance and advice on getting through school, and dealing with life during lockdown.

Fledglink hosts bi-weekly drop-in sessions for The Mentoring Scheme as part of our Learn Now online learning hub for anyone to join and ask questions.

This week (16.07.20) was the second session of a series covering A-level subjects. Each episode will focus on a subject genre, with mentors who discuss what it is really like to study those subjects, tips for doing well and advice on deciding whether they are the right choice for you.

This episode covered: A-levels in ARTS & LANGUAGES

Listen to students talk about their own first-hand experience studying arts and language subjects at A level. They discuss the best and worst parts of studying the subjects, what the exams are like and share top tips on how to revise and succeed.

You can register to join a live drop-in session with the Mentoring Scheme through Fledglink's Learn Now digital platform: fledglink.com/learn-now/

The Mentoring Scheme was founded by Disha Hegde to provide students with honest and authentic peer guidance and advice on getting through school, and dealing with life during lockdown.

Fledglink hosts bi-weekly drop-in sessions for The Mentoring Scheme as part of our Learn Now online learning hub for anyone to join and ask questions.

This week (02.07.20) was the second session of a series covering A-level subjects. Each episode will focus on a subject genre, with mentors who discuss what it is really like to study those subjects, tips for doing well and advice on deciding whether they are the right choice for you.

This episode covered: A-levels in HUMANITIES

Listen to students talk about their own first-hand experience studying humanities subjects at A level. They discuss the best and worst parts of studying the subjects, what the exams are like and share top tips on how to revise and succeed.

You can register to join a live drop-in session with the Mentoring Scheme through Fledglink's Learn Now digital platform: fledglink.com/learn-now/